Chinese Literature - Index of Terms

You can browse by the traditional four categories (sibu 四部) or use the search function above. In addition to these features, the reader can browse through the chronological overview on the history of literature (navigation bar to the right), consult the section on literary genres (different from those in the four categories) or get information on important terms and themes in literature on the present page.

canonized collection of ancient writings, in earlier times believed to have been edited by Confucius; known as Five Classics (wujing 五經) and Four Books (sishu 四書), or the Thirteen Classics (shisanjing 十三經)

also called zhiguai 志怪 "reports of strange events", a kind of story or proto-novel very popular in each type of literature and through the ages

guanci 冠辭

ode for use at the capping ceremony in the age of 20 sui (E)

guanglun 廣論

amplified essay, excursus (E)

guan 關, guanwen 關文

order (F)

gudie 故牒

order (F)

gui 規

warning, lesson (E)

guoshi 國史

history of the then-reigning dynasty

guoshu 國書

national letter, credentials, letter to a foreign ruler (F)

gushi 古史

"old", unofficial history books (as seen from the Tang period)

gushi 故事

old stories, unofficial history books on miscellaneous matters; later "story" in the general sense

guwen 古文

1) versions of the Confucian Classics claimed to be compiled in pre-Qin times, see old-text/new-text debate,2) simple, "old-fashioned" prose style revived during the Tang period in order to end the manieristic parallelism of the pianwen "paired-word" style

rescript, answer of the authorities to petition, plaint, etc. from ordinary persons (E); simple endorsement, the emperor's answer to a memorial, called pihong 批紅 if written by clerks, and zhupi 硃批 (朱批) or yupi 御批 if written by the emperor in person (F)

1) abbreviation for Shijing 詩經 "Book of Songs"
2) very popular poetry style with equally long verses and with rhymes, in use from oldest times (Shijing, Shigu shi 石鼓詩), and the Han period (as gushi 古詩 "old-style poems": see Gushi shijiu shou 古詩十九首), and revived during the Tang period as lüshi 律詩 "regular poems" (see Tang shi poems 唐詩), and the shorter style jieju 絕句 "abridged sentences"

elevation of characters above the headline of the page face, for expressions related to the emperor (F)

tandao wen 歎道文

Daoist lament on the death of an emperor (E)

tangbao 塘報

Beijing gazette (F)

tanshi 彈事, tanwen 彈文

accusation (E)

tenghuang 謄黃

copies of imperial utterances (F)

ti 題

record, inscription or address used by way of dedication (E)

tiben 題本

routine memorial on civilian affairs, with seal of the memorialist; submitted to the Transmission Office (tongzhengsi 通政司) or the Grand Secretariat (neige 內閣), which also considers and proposes action, and answered by an imperial rescript, endorsement, or an edict (F)

tici 題詞

summary of the theme of a book, critique written as an introduction (E)

tie 帖 (貼)

letter, note (E); copy of the writing of famous calligraphists

tiehuang 貼黃

summary attached to a memorial (F)

tiejuan wen 鐵劵文

a writing on a metal token (E)

tihou 題後

outline of the main theme of a book (E)

timing 題名

names and other information engraved on the reverse of a tablet or monument (E)

tingji 廷寄

(secret) court letter (F)

tizou 題奏

general term for memorials (F)

tongben 通本

routine memorial compiled by the provincial administration and forwarded by the Transmission Office (tongzengsi 通政司) (F)

tongshi 通史

universal history covering several or "all" dynasties, or all reigns of one dynasty

"novel" or "romance". Chinese scholars discern the two types of short novels (duanpian xiaoshuo 短篇小説) and the classical long novel books (changpian xiaoshuo 長篇小説)

xiaozhuan 小傳

minor, unofficial biography (E)

xie 諧

humour, joke

xie 謝

thanksgiving for blessings received (E)

xiebiao 謝表

dispatch to a superior, offering thanks (E)

xing 興

allegory, atmospherical introduction

xingshu 行述

"descriptions of conduct", biographical notes (E)

xingzhuang 行狀

biographical notice, appreciation, conduct descriptions (E)

xishu 璽書

imperial letter (xi 璽 = imperial seal) (E)

xu 序 (敘, 敍)

1) preface, foreword, explaining the reason for writing the book, excuses to its defects or praise of its merits, setting forth the writer's view on the theme (E);2) composition presented at parting (E);3) detailed record (E)

outline, essentials of, the gist of, like in yaozhi 要旨 or 要指 (E); rescript, lengthier answer to a memorial, imperial decree in answer to a specific memorial, and written in red on the original, unlike yu 諭, which is a separate document (F)

zhi 制, zhici 制辭, zhishu 制書

edict (E); imperial decree (F)

zhi 志

anecdote, chronicle, accounts of particular incidents of a trivial character (E)

court letter, despatch, sent from the Grand Council to the provincial authorities (F)

ziyu 字諭

order to inferiors or commoners; general term for letters (F)

zou 奏, zoushu 奏書, zoushu 奏疏, zouben 奏本, zouzhe 奏摺

memorial (E); memorial on important state matters or personal matters, not bearing the memorialist's seal, submitted to the Chancery of Memorials (zoushichu 奏事處), considered by the emperor, action proposed by the Grand Council, and answered in the shape of a recript, an endorsement, or edict (F)

zouji 奏記

official letter to a superior in rank, note of presentation (E)

zoupian 奏片

minute, short memorial (F)

zouyi 奏議

memorials (E)

zouzha 奏劄

memorial, detailed report to the throne

Sources:

(E) Edwards, E. D. (1948). "A Classified Guide to the Thirteen Classes of Chinese Prose", Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 12/3-4: 770-788.